A British radio station has issued a public apology after mistakenly announcing the death of King Charles III due to what it described as a technical malfunction. Radio Caroline said the false announcement was triggered accidentally when its emergency “Death of a Monarch” broadcast procedure was wrongly activated at its……
A British radio station has issued a public apology after mistakenly announcing the death of King Charles III due to what it described as a technical malfunction.
Radio Caroline said the false announcement was triggered accidentally when its emergency “Death of a Monarch” broadcast procedure was wrongly activated at its main studio.
In a statement shared on the station’s Facebook handle, on Wednesday, the station’s manager, Peter Moore, explained that the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.
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“Due to a computer error at our main studio the Death of a Monarch procedure, which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require, was accidentally activated on Tuesday afternoon (19 May), mistakenly announcing that HM the King had passed away,” Moore said.
He explained that the station immediately went off air as required under the protocol, prompting staff to quickly restore normal programming and issue an apology to listeners.
“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology,” he continued.
Moore noted that the station had previously broadcast Christmas messages from the late Queen Elizabeth II and now King Charles, expressing hope of continuing the tradition for years to come.
“Caroline has been pleased to broadcast Her Majesty the Queen’s, and now the King’s, Christmas Message and we hope to do so for many years to come,” he added.
“We apologise to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused,” the statement concluded.
Founded in 1964, Radio Caroline broadcasts across several countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, while also streaming globally online.
King Charles, 77, disclosed in February 2024 that he had been diagnosed with cancer. However, he revealed in a video message last December that his treatment would be scaled back this year following positive progress in his recovery.
In recent weeks, the King has undertaken several official engagements, including visits to New York and Washington, DC, where he addressed the US Congress as part of activities marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
